Barthold Dietrich Beckmann (1890-1954). The oldest son, in most European families would normally inherit the family farm. I believe Barthold realized at a young age, that he was not cut out for such a heavy obligation. Barthold was known to enjoy himself, and in later life, amongst his friends in America, at the "Plattdeusche Volksfest Verein" was known as a "Good Time Charlie", quick to laugh and party.
At about age 17 or 18 Bartle obtained a job as a butcher on one of the German ocean liners which plied the sea between Bremerhaven and Hoboken, New Jersey. I don't know what arrangements Bartle had made, but when the ship arrived in Hoboken, he walked off the pier and began a new life in the new world. The year would have been around 1908. Barthold was the only one in his family to immigrate to America illegally.
His Uncle "Charles" Beckmann (his father's brother) owned the Knickerbocker Hotel for men in Leonia, New Jersey. Barthold, could have walked there from Hoboken. The uncle, always known as a generous man, might have given him shelter and warmth and a start in the boroughs of New York City.
Eventually, Barthold became established in the butcher trade and met a wonderful lady by the name of Gesina Hillermann. Gesina's parents owned property in Red Hook, Brooklyn (a non residential industrial area) and also owned a nice home out in the country of Richmond Hill, Queens. Barthold and Gesina married sometime in the mid 1920's. For their honeymoon they took a train out to the mid-west, Ohio, Michigan and to visit an uncle, and brother to his father, Henry (Hinrich) "The Pioneer Farmer". Henry and his children had built up beautiful farms in Michigan and Ohio.
The Hillermann home in Richmond Hill was very comfortable, with a grape arbor, a garden, with chickens, a garage for a nice car. Bartle, Gesina, the senior Hillerman's and Gertie lived there, in the 1930's, it was out in the county, but the elevated subway train was just a few blocks away, so it was convenient to all areas of NYC.
There was even a nice second story parlor, for privacy, where one could smoke cigars while listening to the speaches of Adolph Hitler, Charles Lindberg, Fritz Kuhn (Band Leader), President F. D. Roosevelt, Father Coughlin (anti semite), Gabrial Heater (anti German), and the latest Joe Louis/Max Schmeling fight. I don't think any of the Beckmann brothers were Nazi's, but I do believe they were curious as to what Adolph Hitler was up to , and how the Nazi's affected their families in Germany and America.
Bartle also loved dogs, first Chows, then Great Danes and finally Doberman's. I remember one Doberman male wasn't very friendly (Bodo), only Barthold could handle him, anyone else had to be very careful around him or you might get bit. Doberman's have the strongest jaw power of any dog species. One had to be wary around them.
Bartle owned a butcher shop in Elmhurst, Queens, and on the weekends, he always looked forward to taking part in the festivities at the Franklin Square/Schwaben Hall Plattdeutsche Verein Volkfests. There were many friends there, The Plattdeutsche Clubs were made up of members (immigrants from all the small towns in North Germany) i.e. Bremerforde, Ottendorfer, Lamsteder, Foluer, etc.. They would drink beer, eat smoked eel, potato pancakes, buttercake and bien sticht, tell jokes and march in for speeches to the tune of 'Alte Kamaraden Marsch'.
During these German culture events, everything would be fine, even during WWII when there was a lot of anti-German histeria, as long as one paid respect to America by buying War Bonds or singing "The Star Spangled Banner" and/or God Bless America.
Pop Hillerman's car was a 1923 Ford "Model T", touring car, in which my father Harry took his first auto ride, When he arrived in America, out to the Lake RonkonKoma on Long Island. My father always loved cars after that.
Bartle never drove a car, but Tante Gesina was a good safe driver. Bartle and Gesina always had a nice well kept Pontiac or DeSoto car to drive on weekends, or when visiting our family upstate New York or going to the "Plattdeutsche Volksfest", at Franklin Square.
The Hillermann home was known as a welcome place to visit, for immigrants and friends in the German community. Peter and his wife were a great help to my father and mother in the early 1930's, a time, when my father suffered from a near fatal kidney ailment. They paid his hospital bill for 6 months, 26 dollars a week, the only alternative facing him would have been, to leave the hospital and die. They were a Christian and loving family and my family was always grateful to them during a time of need.
According to my brother Harry (an avid sportsman), Uncle Barthold was an excellent shot with a 22 rifle, and could easily hit a moving target. He was a natural "Schutzen Koenig".
Through thw WWII years and after, Tante Gesina and Uncle Bartle visited us often at our home in the Dutchess county along with other "Plattdeutsche" relatives and friends.
In 1951, my father Harry bought a new Buick Super, it was an 8 cylinder, automatic drive, top of the line car. I was 16 at the time, Uncle Bartle, my mother, father and I, all drove out to Michigan, in the Buick to see our Midwestern relatives.
Our western relatives were very devout, religion played a big part of their lives. They were church going people and prayed often for Gods guidance. Their homes and farms were well tended. My parents were surprised how well they spoke German, they had never been to Germany, but had attended a German school in Ohio as children.
It was a memorable trip, I did all the driving, on the way back we traveled through Canada, Niagara Falls and visited our old Minister from the Henry Street Lutheran Church, Postor Emil Kraeling, an interesting 80 year old, who lived in Adirondack mountains. Every Christmas day he would visit us in Salt Point, for a number of years in the 50's.
Shortly after this time 1953, Bartle suffered a heart attack and became an invalid. He couldn't climb stairs and his diet was severely restricted. He couldn't lead the life he wanted to. In 1954, he and Gesina planned a trip to Germany and Lamstedt.
He died May 26, 1954, while visiting a cherry orchard, in bloom, near Lamstedt. He was liked by many, he was a long term member of the Masonic Lodge and the Lamstedter Plattdeutsche Club.
My mother and aunt (Anna Friedrichsen) took care of Tante Gesina in her last days at 125th Street in Richmond Hill. Tante Gesina passed away in 1969 of a stroke.
Before her death my parents and Gesina took many trips together, to Florida, Germany, they enjoyed each others company for many years.
My father Harry, passed away , May 26, 1996, exactly 40 years, to the day, after Bartle's death.
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